A Mother's Love
by sirensoundwave
Summary: This is the prologue to Parallels. Because Chaos is unavoidable no matter how badly we wish otherwise. And being a Lord of Order does not mean always being right.


Hey y'all. This is the prequel to my upcoming story Parallels. It gives a bit of background for this universe in particular and introduces an important OC. Yes I know "Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions" is unfinished. On the site. This is just to set the stage as that story's ending takes place at the exact same time as this one's beginning. It's a one shot so the only other update will be the next story. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Bite me.

This was absurd.

He knew what this woman claimed to be. It mattered not if it were true. He had a duty to perform and nothing would stand in the way of that.

His release seemed to him to be a great boon at first. The magician's freedom in exchange for his presence in the world was but a small price to pay. The girl, Zatanna, would adapt and move on. Mortals were usually good at that; they recognized that their time was too fleeting to be wasted. In any case it was of no concern to him.

Yet here he was, in a park at the center of Happy Harbor. He looked out of place in full Sorcerer Supreme regalia standing mere feet from a woman dressed in a sky blue robe. Her skin was pale as snow, glowing softly in the moonlight. Frost colored lips starkly contrasted against her skin tone. Short wavy locks that resembled the night sky, deep blue and shimmering like tiny diamonds, framed her face while a long straight train of it with the same properties cascaded down her back. Her peach colored eyes were warm and soft.

He was not fooled for a second.

This was merely an illusion. This woman was a powerful sorceress able to be whatever she desired. Yet she chose this form for some reason. Odd but not wholly unexpected.

"Yes Nabu, because I couldn't possibly come to you in good faith." She spoke with a reproving tone.

As if he were a child!

"You are to me." She sighed. "This mental tit for tat is amusing yet it is not why you met me here. So ask your questions and I will answer. I trust by now you have realized who my children truly are."

"Yes. I understand what those abominations are." He said in disgust. "The very thought that Chaos is controllable and even beneficial is ludicrous!"

"Yet you owe your newly gained freedom to this 'ludicrous' notion. After all, you have since realized it was planned. Forgive me but I don't believe there was a question in there."She tilted her head. "Have decades of confinement addled your mind? Ask and I will answer."

"As you wish. Why do you show yourself to me now of all times?"

"You wanted answers Dr. Fate. Which I shall provide assuming you ask me something you do not already know the answer to."

"..." With the Helmet of Fate obscuring Zatara's face it was not clear what expression he was making. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"If you wish to play this game by all means...but I refuse to stand here just to placate you." She walked towards the swing set and sat down. Her hair traced a line in the fine sands as she lazily swung her legs tucking her bare feet under her. "My name is Gaia, Guardian of this reality. Nature favors entropy. But once it runs its course, stability reigns in its wake. What lurks in the shadows is not always tainted nor is all that basks in the light pure. These are the only truths that cannot be denied. You do understand that without their meddling as you call it, your so called heroes and the villains you battle would have torn this world asunder? Once the scales tip in favor of either light or shadow for too long the consequences are very dire. My dear Doctor, you refuse to believe that Chaos Mages, my children, serve any purpose other than to disturb your order. One fights under the guise of a hero the other a villain. Together they provide balance.

While we are on that subject, if they are abominations, you are a parasite. You wear that poor man like a suit denying him his daughter and vice versa." She smirked at him. "Even Lord of Chaos can maintain their presence in this plane without possessing another should they choose."

"Zatara and Zatanna knew the price to be paid. I have done nothing wrong. You cannot guilt me into releasing this host. The world needs Dr. Fate." Nabu snarled at her. "You do not intimidate me woman."

"Ah ha ha ha! I am not trying to do anything of the sort! You asked and I answered. Do not get angry because _you_ happened to not care for the answer. Free will is what makes the universe move forward and all sentient beings have the ability to act and reason of their own accord. Yes they knew and it is for that reason I have not interfered with your...release. Though I could just as easily pluck that glorified bucket off of Zatara's head and reunite him with his child effortlessly. Them knowing the end result did not mean that the deck hadn't long been stacked against them. Do try not to be a hypocrite Sorceror Supreme." Her laughter turned bitter then she frowned and stopped the swing. Her eyes narrowed, full lips becoming a thin line. "Now ask what you truly wish to know and stop wasting my time."

"You and your children are a threat to this world. What is to stop me from informing the League of your existence? There are many who would agree with me and would stand to fight you. You must have known this, did you not?" Nabu crossed his arms over his chest. Gaia raised a brow.

"The bravado is unnecessary. That is your choice. I only ask that you consider the possible fall out. The revealing of young Roy to be merely a clone programed to destroy them from the inside out has already fractured both the League and Young Justice. Revealing that another trusted and beloved member is not what they appear could destroy them. It will certainly crush the one you expose and I cannot be held responsible for how violently the other reacts in order to comfort his sibling. Both have bad experiences with misplaced trust." She crossed her legs and looked up at the moon. "My boys have only each other and myself for comfort in this world and I will not deny them that."

It was Fate's turn to be snide. He did not change his stance merely chuckled at the paradox she had just presented.

"What mother would pit her own children against one another in a twisted game? You've doomed them to suffering on your own. My actions may or may not simply speed it along."

SMACK!

Nabu found his connection to Zatara jarred briefly. The man prefered to be cut off from the outside world more often than not now. So he was quite confused by the strange woman inches from their face before Nabu regained control. Staring into the angry eyes of the so called Guardian, he felt pain in the right side of his face. He could see the thinly restrained rage there those pinkish golden eyes. His host was not the one to feel the blow, he himself did. In the core of his being, he felt a dainty hand sized mark throbbing.

Impossible!

"That word has no meaning and you know it. Do not for one second imply that I do not love my children you bastard. They themselves devised the rules of this game you speak of. That they play so you can feel superior. They know the risks. Regardless of what you decide my dear ones will be hurt and the backlash will be terrible. I have seen all the possible outcomes and none end well for anyone involved. As their mother I will try to soften the blow but no one is all powerful or all knowing. No mother can protect her children from everything but she can damn well try." The last part was muttered so low he almost missed it. "Now ask!"

"What is to come of this? If you see a terrible fate why not change it? Why do this at all?"

"A great upheaval. I have tried. Because not liking the outcome does not guarantee your efforts will change anything. I have answered you now answer me; what will you do now?"

Fate did not speak for sometime. He had always known of Gaia and her Chaos Mages even during his partnership with Kent. He regreted not addressing them then, before this was set in motion. There never seemed to be time. They never seemed to be doing anything significant. And by the time Kent learned of his intentions to confront theses beings, the man's wife had died. It fueled his grief far more for some reason Nabu has yet to understand and the helmet became a relic locked within the Tower of Fate. He always believed that the Guardian and Mages had something to do with that. Her blatant threat to relegate him to the void once more only served to reinforce that belief.

"You are the one seeking answers to what you already know now _Lady_ Gaia. I shall take my leave." The Sorceror Supreme merely stepped backward into an ankh shaped portal leaving her all alone. She blinked for a bit before chuckling and pumping her legs again.

"How very rude. I told you the outcomes have all been seen. You know I can do nothing to prevent it. However, you never asked what I would do to comfort my boys and what it may mean for you and yours. Alone in this world does not mean help cannot come from another. Even Lords of Order have no patience! Hmph, kids these days."

She allowed herself to slow to a stop. Holding her palm up right, she smiled as a golden butterfly rested there. And a raven with silver eyes landed in her lap. Then as suddenly as they appeared both took flight over across the new moon in the diamond studded sky.

Well what do you think? Who are Nabu and Gaia referring to? What up with the bird and the butterfly? Find out soon in 'Parallels'. Read and review (Pweease?). Sirensoundwave, out.


End file.
